Cannabis fairs 2018: these are the dates circled on Dinafem’s calendar

If you are a cannabis enthusiast and just got yourself a new diary for 2018, there is a handful of dates you need to mark in green, as this year will be full of trade fairs that will serve as showcase and meeting place for cannabis business and devotees alike.

To make sure you don't miss out on any of the big events in the industry's calendar, here is a rundown of the fifteen main fairs that different countries throughout the world will be holding this year. We at Dinafem have already circle the relevant dates on our calendar, as we will be attending them all either as sponsors or as exhibitors.

Canapa Mundi, the Eternal City's main cannabis attraction

2018's first big event will take place in Rome. From 16 to 18 February, the city will be hosting the third edition of the fair Canapa Mundi, which will gather hemp producers, distributors and enthusiasts. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit 150 stands in a 9,000 square metre exhibition venue, as well as to attend workshops and talks aimed at the whole family. Last year over 23,000 people visited the fair and attendance estimates point to a significant increase for this edition.

Barcelona's legendary Spannabis

Barely a month later, comes the time for Europe's largest cannabis fair, namely Barcelona's Spannabis, which celebrates its fifteenth edition this year. Besides bringing companies in the industry together, the event will be marked by musical performances and talks featuring leading figures from science, medicine and politics, among others. A green festival that was enjoyed by around 30,000 people last year and that will this time take place from 9 to 11 March at Fira de Cornellà, in the district of Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona.

4.20 Hemp Fest, a rendezvous in Milan

Even if Italian legislation only allows for medical cannabis, the country has positioned itself as a strategic location for cannabis fairs. And this spring, from 13 to 15 April, the country will be holding yet another cannabis event: Milan's 4.20 Hemp Fest. The name commemorates the discovery of a cannabis growing map in San Francisco on 20 April 1971, an episode that turned 420 into a fetish number for cannabis devotees. The fair will be home to cultural activities, talks and hemp food tastings, while giving the opportunity for companies to showcase their new products.

Czech Republic's Konopex

2016 saw the first edition of Konopex take place in Ostrava, Czech Republic, one of Europe's most progressive countries in terms of cannabis legislation. Seeds, indoor and outdoor growing equipment and vaporizers are just some of the products that will be on display on this year's edition, which will take place from 20 to 22 April - not for nothing, spring is the best time of the year to entice customers both with cannabis seeds and growing gear.

Canna Trade, a Swiss fair with a long pedigree

Spannabis had not yet landed in Barcelona when Switzerland hosted Canna Trade for the first time, back in 2001. This year, the must-attend event will open its doors on 27, 28 and 29 April in Zurich and, as usual, will cover all aspects of the industry, including plant cultivation, vaporisers, the uses of CBD - cannabis' non-psychoactive cannabinoid is legal and a complete success in Switzerland - and even food and clothes.

Indica Sativa Trade: Cannabis pervades Bologna

Last year, some 15,000 visitors and 100 expositors gathered at the Unipol Arena exhibition centre in Casalecchio di Reno, province of Bologna, on the occasion of the Indica Sativa Trade, Italy's biggest cannabis event. This time the venue will be hosting the fair's sixth edition - from 18 to 20 May - and will feature prominent panellists in an effort to bring even greater value and reliability to the event. And they couldn't have chosen a better time, as with the country starting to show signs that steps will be taken in the right direction, much to the relief of activists and patients, cannabis appears to be in better shape than ever.

Cannabis lands in Greece with Balkannabis Expo

Scheduled for 1-3 June in Athens and set to become a leading cannabis event both in Greece and Europe, Balkannabis Expo is one of this year's new entries into the green calendar. With Dinafem as gold sponsor and putting the focus on hemp in general and on the medical applications of cannabis in particular, the event will feature stands, workshops on cannabis culture, areas for networking and talks by scientists, healthcare professionals and activists.

Expogrow, the Basque cannabis showcase

The next big event comes just after the summer break. From 14 to 16 September, the exhibition centre Ficoba (Irún, Spain) will be hosting the seventh edition of Expogrow, where last year Dinafem's Remo Chemo was awarded first prize for best indica strain. With this year's main attractions still to be revealed, organisers expect many French cannabis enthusiasts to attend the fair venue, which is just a few kilometres from the border with France.

Cannabis travels to Poland with Cannabizz

Launched last year as the first "international cannabis event" in Poland, Cannabizz Warsaw is yet another showcase for cannabis products. With official dates yet to be confirmed, this year's edition is expected to be held in September - marking the opening of the European fairs autumn season - at the MT Polska Convention Center, a modern venue known for its exhibitions and public markets.

Hemp takes over Austria with Cultiva

Cultiva Hanfmesse is the name of Austria's main green showcase, which this year will be held on 12, 13 and 14 October in a glass, pyramid-shaped venue in Vösendorf, a town close to Vienna. Concurrently, the country will also host the Cultiva Cannabis Congress, where professionals in the field of pharmacology, biotechnology and chemistry will discuss the medical uses of cannabis.

Canapa in Mostra or Neapolitan cannabis

Also in autumn, cannabis enthusiasts will have the opportunity to enjoy Italy's last fair of the year. From 26 to 28 October, Naples will be hosting Canapa in Mostra, an event focusing on industrial hemp and medical cannabis that in previous years has addressed topics such as the applications of cannabis in cosmetics, in craftwork and art and in the textile and the building industry.

Cannafest, a second gathering in the Czech Republic

It has been eight years since Prague first hosted Cannafest, a platform that brings together companies in the cannabis industry and professionals from different fields. Last year the event saw the attendance of over 250 expositors from 25 countries, who gathered in the Czech Republic's capital city in early November, a date that is expected to remain unchanged also for 2018.

Chile wraps up the year with Expoweed

By the end of the year, we at Dinafem will travel to Santiago to attend the seventh edition of Expoweed, a cannabis fair that has become a fixture in South America. Showcasing everything from seeds to cannabis sweets, last year the event was attend by over 20,000 visitors, a success that will be hopefully emulated this December - the exact date is yet to be confirmed - when we will cross the pond to be part of 2018's much-anticipated last fair.